


Sugar and Ice

by Disasternoj



Category: RWBY
Genre: 99 Percent Angst-Free, F/F, Fluff, Mentions of coconut, Modern AU, Ruby your gay is showing, Snark, Weiss is a Useless Lesbian, Weiss knows what she wants, White Rose - Freeform, White Rose Week 2018, and Ruby is entirely ok with that, obligatory coffee shop au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 21:31:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14941751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Disasternoj/pseuds/Disasternoj
Summary: Weiss works at a coffee shop on principle- to get by on her own efforts, not her father's money. And in case she does something so gay that she gets disowned.Ruby’s working on that one.





	Sugar and Ice

[[♫]](http://listenonrepeat.com/watch/?v=gddkFavQTcE#Log_Horizon_OST_6_-_Mori_to_Mizu_to_Daichi)

Ruby strolled into _The Remnant Roast_ , humming absently to herself as she pondered the designs she would be finishing for her engineering project today. Slipping unobtrusively into line, she glanced around the small, homey coffee shop. It looked like they’d gotten a few more hanging plants since last week- new baskets of some kind of soft-looking violet bellflowers added a nice splash of color to the interior. With all the other ivies, ferns, and the occasional aloe or pothos plant hanging from the wooden beams and occupying the windowsills, the shop was starting to look like an indoor rainforest!

She’d asked what the plants were called after her fourth visit- and she still remembered! _Ruby Rose: 1, Terrible long-term memory: 0. For this week._

Pretty as the shop was, especially with the warm early morning sunlight streaming in through the windows, her attention was still quickly captured by the lone splash of white amidst all the greenery.

Weiss- according to the nametag, written in elegant, swooping handwriting- had been working the early shift here for as long as Ruby had been a patron. Since she only found this place last month, she still hadn’t had enough time to get over how unabashedly gorgeous Weiss was.

Every time those piercing ice-blue eyes met hers, she couldn’t help but shudder a little bit from repressing the desire to blurt out every fantasy she’d ever had about the svelte barista. It felt like Weiss could see right into her soul… and she’ll be damned if that wasn’t half the reason she kept coming back.

…the other half mostly being that Weiss could make even a barista’s uniform look as elegant as a ball gown. Ruby always felt shabby in comparison, even in her nicest red hoodie and running shorts.

Caught up in her musings, Ruby didn’t even notice that she’d reached the front of the line… until a firm “A- _hem!_ ” grabbed her attention. She looked up to see the object of her wandering thoughts staring right at her, tapping a finger on the counter in a measured rhythm designed specifically to indicate that, _no, she was_ not _being impatient_.

“O-OhmygoshI’msosorry!” Ruby babbled, waving her hands frantically in front of her. “Can I get a medium mocha with extra milk to go please thank you!”

Fortunately for the remnants of Ruby’s self-esteem, the barista didn’t ask her to repeat herself. _Un_ fortunately, her response was to raise a single eyebrow- and what could be interpreted as a tiny smile- before taking her offered money and turning to the machine next to her to start the order.

Ruby let out a tiny sigh of relief, shoulders dropping back down, and moved over to the far counter to await her sweet, sweet caffeine. Trying desperately to get the embarrassed flush to recede from her face, Ruby studiously looked everywhere except behind the counter while she waited. Yes. Those were some very interesting walls. The dark wood planking really lent an …atmosphere… to the place.

Yup.

“Mocha for Ruby!” called a voice that surely belonged to an angel, prompting Ruby to turn back to the counter and instinctively reach out for her drink. She hesitated when she saw that it was, indeed, Weiss standing there, seemingly waiting for Ruby to take the travel cup from her hand instead of placing it on the counter.

With a nervous gulp, Ruby leaned forward and accepted the cup from Weiss, brushing the barista’s fingers with her own, squeaking, “Thank you!”

As she did so, however, Ruby noticed that something was off. The cup was much larger than her usual order. Not that she was complaining- more coffee was always welcome, at least with sufficient chocolate and milk in it- but she didn’t want Weiss to get in trouble for it.

Looking back up, Ruby hesitantly asked, “Uh, Miss? I think you gave me a size too large… I only paid for a medium?”

Without even hesitating, looking Ruby straight in the eye, Weiss replied, “I decide what you drink now.”

Caught by Weiss’ almost predatory gaze like a mouse in a cat’s paws, heat flooding her face, Ruby could only muster a meek “okay” before turning tail and fleeing the shop.

After putting a few blocks between herself and the shop, Ruby stopped and slumped against the wall of a café. “I’m in so much trouble,” she groaned, thinking that she would pay just to have Weiss look at her like that again.

Popping open the lid of her cup to blow on the coffee, Ruby’s gaze locked onto the heart etched into the surface with layers of cream, and her blush instantly came back in full force.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The girl had been coming in every Monday and Wednesday for a month now. Weiss had been meticulously planning this interaction to finally catch her attention… and then she goes and says _that_.

_‘I decide what you drink now.’ What in the hell happened there? Where did all the carefully researched pick-up lines go? Why can’t you interact like a_ normal person _for once in your life?_

_You can’t even do your job properly, since you’re too busy staring at your crush spacing out and being even more adorable than usual. Just. Fantastic. Good work, Weiss._

She barely managed to restrain her reaction until the girl left. Ran away, more like.

(She missed seeing the happy little skip Ruby usually did when leaving. It really emphasized her hips.)

Now that the coast was clear- at least, clear of adorable, bumbling brunettes- Weiss slowly slid down the inside wall of the counter and put her face in her hands. She groaned, “Why do I even try?”

 “Because you’re a hopeless romantic with no clue how to talk to girls?”

Weiss glared up through her fingers at her friend and fellow coffee automaton. “I don’t need your sass right now, Belladonna.”

Toying with the raven hair draped over one shoulder, Blake gave her the infamous Mocking Eyebrow, replying, “It’s deserved, at least. How long did you practice those lines in the back room yesterday?” Her Knowing Smirk only grew with the intensity of Weiss’ glare.

After a moment of enigmatic vs. baleful stare-down, Blake relented, crouching down next to her friend. “If it’s any consolation, she only ran away because she was too gay to handle that look you were giving her.”

Weiss dropped her head back against the cabinet with a quiet _thunk_. “Gods, Blake, don’t get my hopes up with… _that_ ,” she muttered, waving one hand vaguely in the direction of the door.

Weiss wasn’t sure she could take the disappointment again, otherwise. "If I didn't know how much of a useless lesbian Winter is, I'd question my own sanity."

“It’s okay. We do that for you,” Blake quipped, trademark smirk still in place.

Weiss sighed deeply, looking so very _done_ as she side-eyed her coworker. “Sometimes I regret ever telling you anything.”

Blake stood, carefully smoothing out her apron and uniform, and adjusted her hairband (the bow abandoned as of last year). “Well, maybe try just giving her your number next time, hmm?” she hinted, putting her work face back on.

“Hey, can I get some service over here?”

Blake winked and walked over to help the customer while Weiss melted down in the corner.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby stood just around the corner from _The Remnant Roast_ , breathing deeply and muttering to herself.

“C’mon, Ruby, you can do this! It’s a good line, you practiced with Yang, you made sure your hair was nice and everything!” She smacked her own cheeks, winced, and strode purposefully out of the alleyway…

Only to walk straight into a trash can.

Five minutes and a good deal of muffled swearing later, the bell on the front door of the shop jingled merrily as Ruby very deliberately meandered into the shop. From the glances sent her way, both of the monochromatic baristas had noticed her presence. That didn’t bode well at all. Or did it? Ruby wasn’t sure, but there was only one way to find out. Running away- er, bravely fording onward across the waters of awkward conversations and coffee shop romance!

Naturally, everything went off-script immediately. As soon as Ruby got up to the counter, exact change and tip ready to hand, Weiss walked up and slid a full and highly _decorated_ cup across the counter to her.

It had little roses drawn on it.

Huh.

Once Ruby recovered from her surprise and looked up at Weiss in confusion, the barista stated, “I did warn you,” mischievous smile primed and ready.

Ruby simply gaped for a moment, before managing to ask, “You were serious about that?!?”

Weiss merely smiled slightly wider, gesturing at the coffee set before her.

With no other option- aside from panicked flailing- Ruby took the drink, laid her money on the counter, and turned to go. Before she got too far from the counter, she stopped, mustering all of her courage, and called over her shoulder, “If you want to keep that promise, I’ll be at the Terrace Avenue smoothie place at 3 o’clock!”

She then swiftly made her exit before the (hopefully) dumbstruck barista could form any kind of reply… or she embarrassed herself again.

_Nailed it._

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

_The Smoothie Operator_ was one of the more popular places near the Beacon University campus, but the crowd was at least _manageable_ at 3 PM on a Wednesday.

Having been shooed out the door by Blake with a “Go! I’ll cover your shift, go!” Weiss did her best to avoid detection as she weaved around idly gossiping teenagers and up to the counter. She was fairly certain Ruby had spotted her from her shaded outdoor table, though. Weiss’ hair was always a beacon, especially in direct sunlight.

By the time Weiss strolled over to her table, smoothies in hand, Ruby was practically vibrating with nervous excitement. “I wasn’t sure you’d show,” she called out as Weiss approached.

 “I couldn’t exactly back down from that challenge, now could I?” she replied, self-satisfied smirk firmly in place. She sat down at the metallic mesh table, a quarter of the way around from Ruby, and passed her a frothy-looking orange-pink concoction.

Ruby practically drooled over it. “What kind is this?” she asked, spinning a straw absently between her fingers.

Weiss continued to smile enigmatically. “You’ll see,” she replied. “Just try it.”

Ruby shrugged, lancing the straw through the lid of her smoothie, and took an enormous sip, cheeks caving in like a reverse chipmunk. Immediately, her face lit up, and she started to exclaim, “Strwb-“ before catching herself, swallowing, and continuing, “Strawberry-Mango! I didn’t even know they made this combination!”

Bad table manners aside, the girl’s obvious delight was both adorable and a great relief. Weiss had been assuming she had quite the sweet tooth, given her obvious predilection for chocolate. “This place has quite a few interesting options,” she noted, sipping more patiently at her own banana-coconut smoothie.

“So, tell me,” Weiss began, pleased at Ruby’s immediate rapt attention, “Why always Mondays and Wednesdays?” She had never seen the girl come in on any other day, and neither had Blake.

Ruby grinned brightly, saying, “Well, Monday is the worst day, and Wednesday is the hump day! So if I have my coffee to get going on those days, then the rest is easy, right?” Her grin was infectious, and Weiss couldn’t argue with that logic- or that smile.

As it turned out, Ruby was an engineering student at Beacon, having gotten in a year early on her scholarship for the track and field team. Since Weiss was a sophomore in Business, that made her only two years younger.

She was also simply _fun_ to talk to. Ruby’s genuine enthusiasm and cheerful disposition made it easy to get swept away in conversation, even just complaining about professors.

"That sounds like one of my uncle's favorite sayings," Ruby giggled. Her voice drops in her best impression of a raspy baritone. (It's not great, but it _is_ adorable.) "If life shuts a door, open it again. It's a door. That's how they work."

Weiss couldn’t help but laugh- both at the sentiment and Ruby’s terrible impression. She deadpans back, "My father would be more likely to insist that the door should be honored to re-open _itself_ for a Schnee."

She realized slightly too late that she just openly gave out her last name- connotations and all- to the girl she was supposed to be convincing to date her, and opened her mouth to make a hasty retraction, when Ruby interrupted.

“I _thought_ so!” she exclaimed, clearly proud of herself. “My big sis said there aren’t too many pretty girls around Vale that have pure white hair, after all.”

Weiss’ heart nearly stopped for a moment, before she realized that Ruby hadn’t reacted negatively at _all_. “You… don’t care?” she asked, tentatively. “You don’t think any less of me because I’m a Schnee?”

Ruby’s face scrunched up in thought for a moment. It was outrageously cute.

“Nope!” she declared, apparently done thinking after three seconds. “I mean, my friends and I aren’t the biggest fans of Schnee Dust Co., but since your friend at the shop is a Faunus, I figured you wouldn’t be, either.”

Weiss can’t help but agree. “That’s half the reason I’m here- and working in a coffee shop,” she noted. “My father hasn’t cut ties with me- yet- but I’ve made some of my opinions known, and he didn’t take well to it, so he might. Especially,” she added, leaning in conspiratorially, prompting Ruby to do the same, “if I do something exceptionally gay.”

“Like what?” questioned Ruby, a hopeful sparkle in her burnished silver eyes, mere inches away from Weiss’ sparking azure.

“Like this,” she whispered, pushing forward and capturing Ruby’s lips with hers.

She tasted strongly of her sweet, fruity drink, along with something enticing that was uniquely Ruby. She was soft, and warm, and very enthusiastically kissing back.

Weiss had thought she was prepared. She wasn’t. And for a moment, as Ruby’s hands cradled her face and Weiss’ rested on the shorter girl’s shoulders, she stops thinking of anything at all.

Ruby is overwhelming in the _best_ of ways.

When they are finally forced to separate for air, Weiss probably looked just as gobsmacked as she felt, if Ruby’s giggles were any indication.

“Oh, I’m so entertaining, am I, Miss Rose?” Weiss grumbled, unable to stop her own smile from spreading across her face. “In that case, I may require compensation for my labors.”

After a moment, Ruby calmed her laughter, leaned most of the way back in, and cheekily replied, “I’m sure something can be arranged.”

And as their lips met once more, Weiss couldn’t help but wholeheartedly agree.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This fic is an entry for [White Rose Week 2018](https://white-rose-week.tumblr.com/), Day 8 (Free Day)!
> 
> It was inspired by several Tumblr posts [(1)](http://alloyphos.tumblr.com/post/161250907356/hogwartzlou-kramergate-today-the-barista-at) [(2)](http://hawker-rawr-is-watching-you.tumblr.com/post/163380092445), and, in small part, Texan_Red_Rose’s fic [“Served”](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13050384/chapters/29861319) from their Snowdragon Tales collection.
> 
> A hefty serving of thanks to my betas, [Afterados](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5698514/afterados) and Vozw, for calling me out on sacrificing slightly too much on the altar of Making it Gayer.
> 
> As always, I entreat you to leave a comment! If you liked it, why? Did you have a favorite bit? Is there something I could have done better? Critique helps writers grow, and praise keeps us writing! :D


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